The Tie That Binds

by Maura, Catharina

  The Tie That Binds

  Catharina Maura

  For my husband, who has always supported me with every single thing I’ve ever done. Thank you for being my number one fan and for believing in me when I fail to do so myself.

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Chapter 41

  Chapter 42

  Chapter 43

  Chapter 44

  Chapter 45

  Chapter 46

  Chapter 47

  Chapter 48

  Chapter 49

  Chapter 50

  Chapter 51

  Chapter 52

  Chapter 53

  Chapter 54

  Chapter 55

  Chapter 56

  Chapter 57

  Chapter 58

  Chapter 59

  Chapter 60

  Chapter 61

  Chapter 62

  63. Author’s Note

  64. Sneak Peak of Mayhem

  1

  I stare at the priest who morosely preaches about loss, death and heaven. He tells us all how good of a person my father was and that we should rest assured because he’s without a doubt in a better place now. Though I’m certain that it’s true I fail to understand how the priest would know that, considering that my father hasn’t set foot in a church in at least a decade. He was, after all, a devout atheist. My father’s belief in God died the day my mother did.

  He would have hated this funeral. It isn’t him at all. Not even remotely. He would’ve wanted a simple ceremony with no more than a handful of people. Instead, I’m standing in a graveyard that’s filled to the brim with people I barely even recognise.

  I look around me, my eyes settling on my grandmother. In the days following my father’s sudden passing I’d been so grateful to have her with me. She patted my back and told me not to worry about a thing. And indeed, she’d taken care of everything while I foolishly nodded along to everything she said. I should’ve known better. There’s a reason my father cut her off, after all. A woman who would embezzle from the company my father sacrificed his sweat and tears for isn’t someone I should’ve trusted to honour his final wishes. I regret placing my trust in her. I wish I’d been more on top of things. I told myself that involving her in the funeral would be the right thing to do. That it would give her the closure she’d need to say her farewell to her only son. I was wrong. Based on the amount of politicians and businessmen present it’s obvious that she didn’t even know my father at all, and I’m starting to be grateful for it.

  “Alyssa.”

  I blink and look to my right. Dominic, my best friend, has clearly been trying to get my attention for some time. He smiles at me, his eyes as red as mine. Dominic grabs my hand and gently places a rose in it, closing my fingers around the stem.

  I look down at it numbly. I know they’re expecting me to drop the rose on top of my father’s casket to signal the start of the burial, but I just can’t make myself do it.

  “It’s time, Lyss,” he whispers. Dominic’s mother, Mary, nods at me with tears in her eyes. The only thing getting me through this day is the presence of the Devereaux’s. Without them I’d truly be alone. I guess from today onwards, I really will be.

  I stare at the rectangular hole in the ground, my mind blank. I shake my head, panic slowly building in my body. I can’t do this. I can’t say goodbye to the man that has singlehandedly raised me. Who is going to hold my hand when life gets tough and make me the perfect cup of tea when I’m feeling down? My dad will never see me take his position as CEO and he will never walk me down the aisle. I’m not ready to say goodbye. There are too many things we still should’ve experienced together.

  A heavy arm is dropped around my shoulder and I look to my left. Daniel. Dominic’s older brother and my father’s co-CEO. If anyone is hurting as much as I am today, it’s him. Daniel tightens his hold on me and gently grabs the hand I’m holding the rose with. He looks at me and I nod. A single heavy tear falls down my cheek as Daniel raises my arm and the rose falls onto my father’s casket. Daniel keeps hold of my hand and clenches it tightly, as though he’s hanging on to me in an attempt to keep it together.

  The sound of sobbing fills the graveyard instantly. People I’ve never seen before are holding back sobs and it oddly infuriates me. Where were these people when my father was still alive? When they still had a chance to spend time with him.

  The priest drops a small amount of soil onto the casket and suddenly it just feel so finite. I feel an insane urge to demand that everything stops. To claim that my father cannot be gone. I feel panic creeping its way through my body, starting low in my belly until it constricts my throat. My breath is laboured and I can almost feel the hysteria bubble up in my throat. I remember being devastated and sobbing when my mother passed away, but it was different. When the cancer took her we’d known it was coming. We weren’t any more prepared for the day to come, but it was different nonetheless. This time, my dad is just gone. There were no goodbyes and no long talks at night to make sure we told each other everything we needed to. The heart attack ended his life with no warnings. Part of me can’t even fathom that it’s my father lying in that casket. I haven’t even cried since he died. Not the way I did when my mother took her last breath. I haven’t sobbed like the people around me, the way I did when my mother died. My eyes have filled with tears countless times today but I’ve mostly refused to let them spill. Crying would only make it so much more real. You only mourn those that are truly gone. I wonder how long I’ll be able to hold onto this numbness. How long will I be able to hold the panic at bay?

  Dominic’s arm wraps around my waist as he starts to lead me back to the parking lot. I let him drag me along absentmindedly, grateful to move away from my father’s grave. The further we get, the easier it becomes to breathe.

  To my surprise, Dominic walks me to his brother’s car instead of his own. I stare at it, my heart clenching together painfully. An Aston Martin Vulcan in matte black. The only reason I know the name of the car is because my dad and Daniel picked it out together. They scrutinised and researched every single detail. At one point they even made a cost benefit analysis for the different customisation options. Why they did that is beyond me since the car set Daniel back millions. I didn’t think a couple grand extra would’ve mattered but according to my dad and Daniel it did. The two of them shared a bond I’ve always been jealous of. At times I was certain Daniel was the child my dad wished he had instead of me.

  Dominic and Daniel’s father died a few years after my mother did and ever since my dad has embraced the two of them as his own. Daniel more so than Dominic. I guess he thought that Dominic at least had me, while Daniel had no one. I don’t think the
re’s been more than a handful of days in the last couple of years that my dad and Daniel didn’t see each other. My dad personally trained Daniel until he was ready to take on his father’s vacant seat as his co-CEO. They worked together every day, but outside of work they were more like father and son. I always aspired to have a similar relationship with my dad, but it’s too late for that now.

  “Will you take her?” Dominic asks. Daniel hesitates, and truthfully, I don’t want Dominic to leave me right now. I need him with me, now more than ever. I stare at him pleadingly but his eyes are on his girlfriend, Lucy. She’s standing next to his mum with a sweet smile on her face.

  I can’t help but feel a bit bitter and hurt about it. I feel foolish for expecting him to stand by me today. Things between us haven’t been what they used to be. Not since my drunken confession a few months ago. Dominic has slowly but surely been distancing himself from me, and I only have myself to blame.

  “Pathetic,” Daniel murmurs as we watch Dominic rush towards Lucy. He didn’t even wait for Daniel to agree to drive me home. Nor did he ask me if I’d be okay.

  “Must be some magic pussy for him to abandon his best friend on a day like this.”

  A tiny smile pulls the edges of my lips up and Daniel grins as he opens his car door for me. I feel relieved to see him smiling at me. Though he hasn’t shed a tear in my presence, his red-rimmed eyes and the bags underneath them tell me that this has been just as hard on him as it has been on me. I’ve never seen Daniel cry or be overly emotional at all. The most emotion he ever shows is his perpetual boredom. His stoic expression has gotten him into trouble more than once. I even vaguely recall one of his ex-girlfriends breaking up with him over it.

  “When are we going to discuss everything?” I ask softly, my voice barely above a whisper. Daniel’s hands tighten on his steering wheel. He doesn’t have to ask me what I’m talking about. As my father’s sole heir I’ll be inheriting his 26% shareholding in DM consultancy, the parent company that stands at the top of our conglomerate empire. The Devereaux’s own 25% between themselves while the rest of the shares are distributed amongst other family members and early investors. So long as the Devereaux and Moriani families stay united, we’ll remain in absolute control.

  However, with my dad being gone so suddenly the company is in turmoil. The share price has already plummeted in the few days since his death. On top of that, Vincent, the company lawyer, told us that my dad’s will is very unconventional and that we need to see him as soon as possible lest the company be in peril. He refused to discuss the details over the phone. To make things worse the press has been writing scathing articles about the future of the company now that its visionary is gone. Many have expressed doubts about Daniel’s ability to run the company without my father, adding to the emotional turmoil he’s already feeling.

  Truthfully, I fear not only for my own empty and bleak future, but that of the company too. I have full faith in Daniel but I’m not sure how long it’ll take him to become comfortable in his new role. I know better than anyone just how much he relied on my father.

  “Not today,” Daniel says, sounding exhausted. “Today is for mourning and honouring the man we all loved. To say our goodbyes and make peace with a devastating loss. The company isn’t going anywhere.”

  I nod. I’m grateful Daniel hasn’t set the meeting with Vincent for today. I have no idea how I’m going to deal with that when it comes. I’m sure my father has some sort of unpleasant surprise for me and I’m not ready to face my own inadequacy yet. DM Consultancy was my father’s first love and more often than not I wondered if he loved it more than he loved me.

  “We’re here,” Daniel says, sighing as he parks the car in my driveway. Neither one of us moves. Instead we just sit there in silence as we stare at the countless cars lines up in front of my house.

  “Are you ready?” he asks.

  I shake my head. “No,” I answer, my voice breaking. I clear my throat and look out the window.

  “But let’s do this anyway.”

  2

  All conversation stops when Daniel and I enter my house. I’m not surprised to find my grandmother in the middle of all of it. She seems to bask in the attention she’s getting when she should be mourning.

  Everyone looks at me with eyes filled with pity. I’ve been pretending to be deaf to the rumours but I’m well aware of what everyone has been saying and what they’re truly worried about. Most people here are investors or stakeholders of some sort. They aren’t here to offer me their condolences or to pay their respects to my father. They’re here because it’s a rare chance to speak to Daniel in person. They’re here to find out what the company’s future holds.

  I recognise many of the people in the living room but I don’t actually know many of them. It makes me feel like a stranger in my own house. The last thing I want to do right now is entertain people my father didn’t even like. The whole concept is weird to me. Why would you hold a literal pity party at someone’s house after a funeral? My father would’ve hated this and he would’ve hated my grandmother for allowing these vultures easy access to Daniel.

  My grandmother walks up to me and grabs my arm with more force than necessary. I wince and try to pull away, but she won’t let me.

  “Dear, where did you go after the funeral? You just disappeared. There are so many people we must greet. We mustn’t let your father’s hard work go to waste. It’s up to us to reassure everyone that everything is fine. We must maintain the connections your father established. I saw that the Mayor is here. He brought his son and he mentioned that you’re acquainted. We best go say hello.”

  I’m overcome with disgust. The last thing I want to do is socialise but it seems to be all that’s on her mind. She seems positively giddy at the prospect of conversing with the Mayor and it sickens me. I regret inviting her to the funeral at all.

  I gently pull my arm out of her clutches, at a total loss for words. Before I can manage to come up with an appropriate response, Daniel intervenes.

  “Thank you kindly for the help you have provided in the days leading up to the funeral, Mrs. Moriani. Though you haven’t been in touch with Alyssa since she was a toddler she has really appreciated your presence here in the past week. Please do have a seat and help yourself to the refreshments we have provided. As always the catering is provided by Deluga Catering so I’m certain you’ll enjoy it. I wouldn’t want anyone to think we don’t treat our guests well, so please do help yourself.”

  Daniel’s voice is loud and as always, when Daniel speaks, people pay attention. Those who’d been falling over themselves to gain her favour hear the warning loud and clear. My grandmother isn’t associated with DM Consultancy and she and I aren’t close.

  Daniel takes my hand and leads me away before she can retort. The whispers around us increase as we make our way through the room, making me feel even more uncomfortable. Daniel leads me to the kitchen where Dominic is already waiting with a cup of tea in his hands. Making me a cup of tea was what my dad always did when I was sad or upset and he didn’t know how to fix it. Just the thought that I’ll never have another cup of tea made by him breaks my heart.

  Dominic hands me my favourite mug. It’s the one that says Boss Lady on it, and my heart breaks a little more. My dad gave it to me for my 22nd birthday a few weeks ago, telling me that he was going to step up my training so I’d be ready to take over his role within a few years. He had so much faith in me and now he won’t ever see me accomplish the goals we set together.

  My eyes fill with tears and Dominic opens his arms. I walk into his embrace and hug him tightly, only barely keeping my tears in. A stab of pain twists my heart at the knowledge that I won’t ever see my father at the office again. I won’t be able to drop by the office he shared with Daniel for a quick cup of tea and a chat. I can’t ask for his advice anymore when I don’t know how to handle a situation.

  Dominic puts his index finger underneath my chin and gently lifts my face up to meet hi
s. “Hey, I’m here. I promise I’m not going anywhere. We’ll get through this together. I promise you won’t be alone,” he whispers.

  I stare into his grey eyes, willing myself to believe him. I’ve felt alone ever since he started dating Lucy. No one has ever been able to get between us and both of us have had to end relationships because our partners couldn’t accept our friendship. But Lucy is different. She’s been vocal about her dislike of me and Dominic has been giving in to her nonetheless. He’s been distancing himself from me lately. I can’t even remember the last time he and I were alone. Lucy and he are a package deal now. If I want to see him, I’ll have to see her too. I can’t even blame Lucy for her distrust of me or Dominic for giving into her. Just as Lucy suspects, I do have feelings for Dominic. I’d never act on them or jeopardise his relationship though. I wish he could see that.

  Lucy walks up to us with outstretched arms and tears streaming down her face.

  “Alyssa, there you are! I’m so so sorry for your loss. What can Nic and I do for you? Please, let me know how we can help,” she says, her voice loud and shrill. I cringe a little and step away from Dominic. I’ve tried my best to like Lucy but I just can’t get myself to. I fail to understand what Dominic sees in her. She’s loud while he’s quiet and adorably silly while he is intelligent beyond compare. They just don’t suit each other. Lucy is exactly the type of person neither of us has ever liked.